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UNITED sTATns ATEN orricn JOS. BUHLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PIPE 0F VAPOR-BATES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 13,974', dated December 25, 1855.

To all whom z5 may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOSEPH BUHLER, M. D., of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vapor-Baths; and I do hereby declare that the following` is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l, is a vertical section of a vapor bath with my improvements.l and Fig. 2, is a front view of the back distributer.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding' parts in both ligures.

This invention consists in certain means of directing the medicinal or medicated vapors in their most concentrated and dense form oversuch parts of the back as may be desired.

' To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A, is the outer casing of the bath having a movable cover B, and a door in one side for the entrance of the patient. This door is not shown, being in the side which is supposed to be cut away. The movable cover has an aperture, a, for the patients head.

C, is the seat which is adjustable on racks c, to suit the height of the patient.

D, is the retort which is placed in the front part of the bot-tom of the bath and is heated by a spirit lamp E, being constructed with a central chimney cl. The retort when in operation is closed except to a pipe F, which passes around one side to the center of the back of the bath where it connects with an upright pipe G, which is perforated with one or more rows of perforations e, e, extending straight down the front. To the exterior of this pipe Gr, is fitted a sleeve H, which is capable of turning freely. This sleeve has one or more spiral rows of perforations f, f. At its upper part it is furnished with a pulley or groove (7, to receive a cord z, which winds around it, the said cord also passing over pulleys z', and i', attached to one side of the bath and having at one end a weight j, and at the other a handle 7a. The pipe F, is furnished with a cock Z, and between this cock and the retort,

a long flexible pipe m, branches'oif from it, the communication from the pipe F, to the said flexible pipe being furnished with a cock n, by which it may be opened or closed at pleasure, and the extremity of the said pipe being furnished with a perforated rose 0, or any suitable nozzle. Around the retort is a perforated foot rest 79.

The operation of the bath is as follows: Then the patientis seated in the bath and the retort is suitably heated to produce the medicinal or medicated vapors, he opens the cock Z, or n, as may be required. Suppose the cock n, to be open he takes the rose, or mouthpiece o, of the flexible pipe m, in one hand and directs the jet or jets of vapor issuing therefrom to such part or parts of his person as may be required, but as this pipe does not enable him to direct the vapor over his back, if it is required to distribute it on that part he closes the cock n, hangs the pipe m, on the hook g, provided for it, opens the cock Z, and takes the handle 7c, in his hand and pulls it down to turn the sleeve H, to bring its holes f, f, opposite to those of theholes e, e, of the pipe G, which are at thel required height or position to discharge the vapor on the desired part. Or if he wishes to distribute the vapor all over his back he moves the handle 7c, up and down, and the cord 7L, beingkept tight by the weight turns the sleeve backward and forward to enable the vapors to issue from all or any number of the holes e, e, in turn. It should be observed that the pipe Gr, is situate close to the middle of his back.

Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The back distributing pipe G, with its sleeve H, operated by a cord with a handle and weight or by any equivalent means, the said sleeve having perforations f, f, out of line with the perforations of the pipe to allow the patient to direct the concentrated vapor to any part of his back substantially as herein set forth.

J. BUHLER.

Witnesses S. H. WALES, IVM. TUscI-i. 

